Hay-tedder



(No Model.) v H. HITCHCOCK.

Hay Tedder. No. 239,250. Patented March 22,1881.

NJpErgRs, pHoro-l WHOGRAPHER, WASHINGTON D C UWE@ fratrie artnr arrete.

HENRY HITCHCOCK, O F LYONS,v MICHIGAN.

HAY-TEDDER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 239,250, dated March22, 1881,

(No model.)

' To all whom t may concern Be it known that I, HENRY HITCHCOCK, ofLyons, in the county of Ionia and State of Michigan, have invented anImprovement in Hay-Tedders, of which the following is a specication.

The nature of this invention relates to certain new and usefulimprovements in the construction of hay-tedders, which will be effectivein operation, simple in construction, easily controllable, and whereinthe tedder head or shaft, with its accompanying teeth, may be removedand a seeding-machine substituted therefor, the operating mechanismbeing adapted to drive other machines equally as well as thetedder-head.

The invention consists in the peculiarities in the details ofconstruction and the various combinations and operation of such details,as more fully hereinafter described.

Figure lis a longitudinal section on the line x x in Fig. 2. Fig. 2 is aplan, showing one side of the machine, both sides being alike. Fig. 3 isa cross-section through the tedderhead. Fig. 4 is a detached andperspective view of one of the teeth.

y In the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification,A is aframe, which carries the operating parts of the machine. Thisframe is pivotally secured by eyebolts a, or other equivalent devices,to the frame B, to the rear end of which the axle C is rigidly secured.The former frame rests prone upon the latter, and extends to the rear,as shown in Fig. l. y

D are the traction-wheels, journaled in any of the known ways to theaxle, at each end thereof.

E are sprocket-wheels, secured and adapted to rotate with thetraction-wheels. Sprocketchains F convey motion from these sprocketinFig.1. `The`teddershaft J is provided with curved spring-teeth L,secured thereto in'any convenient or desired manner in pairs, oneprojecting each way from the shaft, and theseries of pairs so. arrangedthat when all are in place they run spirally around the shaft.

M is a caster-wheel swiveled to the curved standard N, which passesforward over the axle C and beneath the frame A, and its forward end ispivoted to the under side of said frame.

C is a cani-lever, pivoted within the slot b in the frame A, andprojecting through the same,

`to engage with the horizontal part of the standard N. By drawing thislever to the rear the cam raises the frarne A, and of course the tedder,and thereby the operator is enabled to raise or lower the tedder-shaftat will.

The caster-wheel also serves to keep the device level and steady whenone of the tractionwheels may be ruiming in a dead-furrow.

The boxes K, which carry the tedder-shaft, are arranged to slide on theframe A, forward or back, just sufficiently to engage and disengage thepinion I with the internal teeth of the sprocket-wheel Cr, and suitableconnections are made, so that the driver on his seat may control suchengagement or disengagement.

Heretofore a 'tedder-shaft journaled in boxes sliding in aframe has beenrevolved by means of a belt passing around a pulley secured to thedriving-wheel, and thence around a pulley on the endof the tedder-shaft,the latter being caused to revolve or not by sliding' the boxes to andfro on the frame, thus tightening or slackening the belt to cause thetedder-shaft to revolve or not, as desired; but in this constructionwhen the belt is slackened a part of its weight rests on thetedder-shaft, and is liable to operate it to some extent, and besidesthe belt is liable to fall oft' the shaft in its slackened position. Inmy construction the belt or sprocket-chain is never slackened, and nosuch results occur. The internally-geared sprocket-wheel is drivenalways by a tightened sprocket-chain, and the tedder-shaft, whenrevolved, is operated always by the positive action of the pinion andinternally-geared sprocketwheel. When the tedder-shaft boxes are slidinwardly, and the pinion and internally-geared wheel are thrown out ofgear, the connection IOO between the driving mechanism and teddershaftis entirely severed, and the rotation of the redder-shaft is at oncestopped.

In practice the tedder-shaft may be removed and replaced by the shaft ofa seeder or other device Where a like motion is required and adapted tobe driven by the mechanism herein described.

What I claim as my invention is 1. The combination, with the frame A andtraction-wheels I), of the sprocket-Wheels E, secured to and adapted torotate with the traction-Wheels, sprocket-chains F, internallygearedsprocket-wheels G, sliding,` boxes K, and tedder-shaft J, having thepinions I secured to its ends, substantially as described, and for thepurpose set forth.

2. A hay-tedder wherein the trames A B, l

scribed.

HENRY HITCHCOCK. Witnesses:

H. S. SPRAGUE, E. W. ANDREWS.

